Illinois vs. Minnesota

Should I go to University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign or University of Minnesota Twin Cities? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Illinois or Minnesota is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign vs. University of Minnesota Twin Cities comparison
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign University of Minnesota Twin Cities College 3 College 4
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign University of Minnesota Twin Cities
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Overview

Illinois Minnesota
Location Champaign, IL Minneapolis, MN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 56,916 54,955
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #106 #140
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu umn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Illinois Minnesota
Tuition (In State) $12,474 $14,006
Tuition (Out of State) $30,446 $33,246
Room & Board $12,720 $11,894
Avg Net Price $14,544 $16,018
Avg Grant Aid $16,552 $11,388
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 63%

Admission

Illinois Minnesota
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,257 38,050
Admitted 28,354 28,504
Acceptance Rate 44.8% 74.9%
Enrolled % 28.1% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/34 27/32
SAT Range 1320/1510 1290/1500
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 5, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

Illinois Minnesota
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Illinois Minnesota
Graduation Rate 82% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $58,200
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $20,185
Median Loan Payment $211 $208

Diversity

Illinois Minnesota
% Men 54% 44%
% Women 46% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 48% 70%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 16% 9%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Illinois Minnesota
% In-State 71% 68%
% Out-of-State 11% 26%

Campus

Illinois Minnesota
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is larger than than Minnesota based on total student enrollment (56,916 students vs. 54,955 students)

Illinois vs. Minnesota Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or Minnesota?

  • University of Minnesota Twin Cities is 12.3% more expensive to attend than Illinois for in-state tuition ($14,006.00 vs. $12,474.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.2% higher at Minnesota than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($33,246.00 vs. $30,446.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign than Minnesota ($14,544 vs. $16,018)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Minnesota Twin Cities are 6.9% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($11,894 vs. $12,720)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Minnesota Twin Cities than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (63% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students is 45.3% larger than aid received University of Minnesota Twin Cities ($16,552 vs. $11,388)

Illinois vs. Minnesota Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Illinois or Minnesota? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Minnesota or Illinois .

  • The average SAT score at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (1305) is 17 points higher than at Minnesota (1288)
  • Incoming Illinois students have at the same average ACT score (29) as students at Minnesota (29)
  • Accepted freshman Illinois students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Minnesota (3.75)
  • Minnesota has a higher acceptance rate (74.9%) than Illinois (44.8%)

Illinois vs. Minnesota Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Illinois or Minnesota? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Minnesota and Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Illinois is higher than University of Minnesota Twin Cities (82% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign earn on average $8,300 more per year than Minnesota graduates after ten years. ($66,500 vs. $58,200)
  • University of Minnesota Twin Cities students graduate with a $315 lower median federal student loan debt than Illinois graduates. ($20,185 vs. $20,500)
  • Minnesota graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than Illinois graduates. ($208 vs. $211)
  • More Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Minnesota students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 74%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/